


Over the Phone

by Gou (Khismer)



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Gen, phone shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-19
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 15:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/889096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khismer/pseuds/Gou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A response to a kink meme prompt. "Okay, so Gou has been texting Rin since he got back. He finally decides to reply, and they start talking again. The texting seems to be going well, and either after a few days, or all in the same night, Rin calls her, and it's REALLY awkward at first.</p><p>Bonus: JUST SUPER CUTE AWKWARDNESS, ESPECIALLY ON RIN'S PART."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Once a day, at least -- that's how often she texts him.

It was infrequent at first, starting just after he got back.

' _How was the flight? I know you'll be busy at Samezuka once you start, so try and visit soon, okay?'_

Infrequent, and easy to dismiss.

' _Is your phone switched off?_ '

He wished she would stop. Not that he could ever feel completely at ease with ignoring his little sister so long, it's just… He can't go straight back to the way things were, not again, not if he wants to make any real progress, and he can't even pretend to be the same as before, either, so it's _easier_ this way. Better.

' _You're really not going to talk to me?_ '

After this, a few days passed without word, and he thought that worked --

\-- until, abruptly, she started up again.

Anything from updates to attempts to get him to talk to his ( _old, no-longer_ , he reminds himself) friends. The fact that her messages went unanswered seemed to be no deterrent.

' _I think it might rain today. Is it cloudy there, too?_ '

' _There's rumors the new teacher used to be a swimsuit model. Nobody's been able to figure out if it's true or not.'_

' _Chi thinks you might have died and I can't prove her wrong.'_

' _Now she thinks I killed you and I'm only texting you as a front. Not sure if I should be more concerned that she'd think of this, or that she's willing to cover it up. Be worried._ '

' _They won't stop calling me Gou, you know._ '

Even on the days she writes less, he gets simple 'good morning's or 'good night's. 

All these go without a response. 

Except -- now, apparently.

He doesn't know what it is that makes him do it -- seeing them again after so long, maybe -- but when that night's text lights up his phone's screen he taps out three quick letters, almost unthinkingly.

' _Hey._ '

And then… 

Nothing. His phone remains silent.

The pause is so long that he is beginning to regret having done it when his phone vibrates.

' _Hey!_ '


	2. Chapter 2

She clutches her phone tightly in her hands, staring at the screen. Her thumb still rests over 'send,' her short response stark against the background.

She should -- say something else, she realizes, but she doesn't know _what_ , because, sure, she's been trying to get him to talk to her for _months_ , but she isn't sure she even really thought it would work. Or -- not like this, anyway. Indirectly, like giving him the idea to visit the old swim club.

And so she hesitates, wondering what to type. She knows what she would like to ask: 'Why haven't you been talking to me? Don't you know I've been worried? Don't you know I miss you? Why are you talking to me now?' This is too blunt, too soon. It's as though she barely knows him now, and she must take care not to -- scare him off, it seems.

So she types -- ' _Intent on keeping me up, huh?_ ' It's not going to backfire, she thinks, it is _not_ going to backfire because she doesn't know what else she could say. 

_'You've got me figured out so soon?'_

She gives no audible sigh, but she does, briefly close her eyes and let her fingers relax. So it's _not_ just a one-time thing -- or, not just one text, anyway.

There are pauses, halting sentences, moments where it is obvious that they have become unused to these interactions; and yet, it is still startlingly easy to slip into this, as if they've been talking every day.

They talk for some time, about any and everything that comes to mind -- though, this doesn't always work out quite as planned.

' _I can see why you joined the swim club. Even as manager, I'm already much more popular. You should see the offers I've been getting.'_

When her message has sat on her screen for a moment too long, she adds to it. ' _I'm kidding, I'm kidding._ '

' _Good._ ' is all he sends back, after a shorter pause, and she makes a note to avoid the topic later.

Startlingly, he… isn't all that adverse to the prospect of meeting with her, at a time when it's not just a match between schools.

And then her phone dies.

For a minute, all she can do is stare at it in utter disbelief -- It isn't possible. Of all times, it does that _now_? It couldn't have lasted just one minute longer? -- and then she is scrambling for a charger.

Her searching fingers turn up only dust in the dresser drawer and bump against miscellany on top.

Finally, _finally_ , she manages to figure out it slipped between the wall and her bed and ease it out. 

In the darkness, she fumbles with plugging it in, and by the time it's connected and brought to life enough that the phone's soft glow illuminates the screen, ten minutes have passed.

She puffs out a slow, soft breath as she reads through the last sent texts to be sure of what she will say. ' _Yes, soon!'_ she types, and waits.

And waits.

And there is -- nothing. No response.

Gou lets her phone slip from her grasp, bouncing gently where it falls next to her.

Great -- he'll think she was ignoring him now, and he won't speak to her.

Again.

She flops back on her bed and groans into her pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

She's up by six and ready not long after, pleased to note that while her distress hangs heavy on her thoughts, it did not slow her down overmuch, and she's already in the process of packing the extra bag of cookies by the time her mother comes in to greet her.

"I talked to Rin yesterday," she says, still carefully stacking the sweets. 

"Oh?"

"Texted him," she amends.

"How is he?" her mother asks, yawning as she threads her fingers through her tangled scarlet hair.

"Good," Gou informs, then admits, "I didn't talk to him for long, though. My phone died."

"Why don't you try calling him?"

Gou's movements still momentarily as she frowns. She's never fully gone into the difficulties of reaching him, or how many of her texts have gone unanswered up until now, in order to prevent them from worrying, so she doesn't think she can express doubt without sounding childish.

"I have a swim meet today," she says instead, stowing the goodies and shrugging on her bag.

"Call him after," her mother suggests. 

Gou hesitates, one hand on the doorknob. How can she explain that the time they lost changed things, explain how _different_ it seems now? How like a stranger he is, and yet, at once, how _not_? How much that unsettles her, and how she is angry at herself for being unsettled?

But it's that last that convinces her. She hypocritical now, isn't she? Worrying for no good reason, at least. Texts aren't all that different from phone calls, and it _would_ be strange for anyone with years to catch up on and no idea where to start.

And of course -- he is still Rin, and she wants to see him smile again.

"Alright," she concedes, "I'll try." And who knows? After yesterday, the endeavor might not be entirely hopeless after all.

Despite leaving later than she normally would, Chigusa is absent from their meeting spot, and doesn't show up for another few minutes. When she does, however, the reason is immediately apparent.

Chi gives an apologetic smile as she approaches, raising her left arm to show off a long, thin cut that extends from her elbow to her wrist. "I tripped over my brother's skates and slashed my arm on the edge of the counter," she laments, "but at least I was able to save my gorgeous face." She claps both hands to her cheeks woefully, a look that is ruined when she cracks her eyes open only seconds later to gauge her audience's -- Gou's -- reaction.

"Anyway, it should be fine in a few days. But speaking of gorgeous…" Chi drops her hands and waggles her eyebrows, eliciting a laugh from Gou, though she can tell where this conversation is heading. "How _are_ those half-naked boys you share a secret with?"

"Fine," she answers, deliberately avoiding the implied question, and she sticks her tongue out when Chi squinches her mouth together.

Her friend backs down after a minute, though not without a 'knowing' look, and they spend a little longer just talking together, parting ways a few minutes before class.

And then -- her phone vibrates. She wonders who it could be as she pulls it from her bag. Hardly anyone ever texts her who shouldn't already be in class, and of those remaining, there's fewer still, who would talk to her this early. But there it is, a text on the screen.

' _Try to get more sleep. It's not polite to fall asleep when you're talking to someone._ ' 

It's as good as a good morning from him, and she is beaming all through class.

The rest of the day passes quickly. 

Swim practice is a success, and by the end of it, Rei is even showing small signs of progress -- though, really, anything is better than what they saw the other day.

She has little homework, and it's certainly nothing she can't take care of over the weekend -- so she has no excuse.

Now, Gou is staring at the number on the screen, battling doubts -- what does she say, what if he doesn't even answer? She breathes in deeply. If he doesn't -- that's that, and there's not much she can do now. And if he does, well… she'll figure that out. She presses send.

One moment, two… and the dial tone gives way to silence edged with just a hint of static.

"Rin?"


End file.
